Digital Commons Network^™

Solutions To Dissonance: Solutions To The Gaps In The Cognitive, Social, And Emotional Development Of Students With Disabilities In The Music Classroom, Matthew T. Robinson

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to define disability as it is used in the music classroom, summarize gaps in the development of students with disabilities in the music classroom, and determine possible solutions to those issues. The research in this thesis is intended to be used as a resource for music educators of all levels and not to criticize the work of countless other educators to impact the lives of students with disabilities. This paper makes use of some classroom observations as well as a survey of music educators from around the state of Kentucky. This paper should not be considered an …

Fostering Success: What Happens After The Transition Out Of Foster Care?, Paige N. Mikels

Honors Theses

The foster care system in the United States continues to pose a great negative impact on its participants. This negative impact consequently lowers their chances of attaining the same level of success as their non-fostered peers. The foster care experience affects their academics, mental and physical health, employment, and has a special impact on minority children. There are several sources of support and resources available to assist this population if the individual, their foster parents, or case manager is aware of them. In addition to being aware of the sources of support and resources, the foster youth or foster care …

The Comic Book Conundrum: Defining Comic Books As A Literary Genre, Dylan C. Guffey

Honors Theses

Abstract:

Since the early 1900s, the world has seen the emergence, growth, and now boom of a new literary genre: the comic book. The comic book industry has existed for nearly a hundred years now as a subculture of American literature and popular culture. Initially gaining significant popularity during World War II, the comic book industry introduced the first “superhero” comics in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In the decades to follow, the comic book industry would achieve significant milestones as they developed alongside the views and values of the American people. As comic books began to expand in …

The Effects Of Cognitive Training On Neurodegenerative Disease: A Proposed Study, Mark E. Dvornak

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases impact over 5 million Americans and costs over $290 billion annually. One possible method to restore cognitive functioning is cognitive training. Cognitive training is a broad term and can include activities like brain games, puzzles, meditation, music training, and many more activities. While there have been many studies researching individual forms of cognitive training, none have researched combining two forms of training. This research will study the effects of a combined cognitive training programming that includes 1) music training and 2) exergaming. Exergaming is a new form of training combining aerobic exercise and …

Cuddling And The Born-Addicted Infant: Implementation Of Volunteer-Based Cuddling Programs For Babies Experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Alexis L. Thompson

Honors Theses

In the United States, the opioid epidemic is rising at an alarming rate and is affecting countless lives, including the lives of newborn infants. In a country that continues to be overtaken by prenatal drug use, volunteer-based cuddling programs need to be readily available in any hospital that contains a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Human contact via general cuddling is vital to the recovery of a born-addicted infant and the way to ensure such contact is provided is through a volunteer-based cuddling program. This project consists of literature reviews concerning former and current treatments for born-addicted infants, a survey …

“Follow The Leader?” Exploring The Benefits Of Proactive Followership, Suzanna Q. Thompson, Kristen B. Wilson

Honors Theses

Abstract

“Follow the leader?” Exploring the Benefits of Proactive Followership

Quinn Thompson

Dr. Kristen Wilson, Department of Corporate Communication & Technology

As the vast majority of the work force is in some shape or form a follower, the gap in academia that focuses on the follower is ever present. However, the first hurdle is not the education nor the research itself, but the connotation around the word “follower”. Society puts such an emphasis on being a leader, one is led to believe that being anything but makes you less than. Which reinstates the need for more research on followership, so …

Music From The Dark And Silence: Incorporating Deaf, Hard Of Hearing, And Visually Impaired Students Into The Music Education Classroom, Emily Grindstaff

Honors Theses

No abstract submitted

A Study Of The Product Development Process For The Transparent Kitchen Knife Block, Benjamin Payne

Honors Theses

The purpose of this document is to summarize the research and planning, design, market evaluation, cost analysis, and production process for a kitchen knife block. The team began by researching multiple knife block designs and evaluating what strengths and weaknesses existed with the basic models that are currently offered in different marketplaces. After collecting data on material costs and discussing different design features, the team created a survey in order to gauge consumer preferences and gain a better understanding as to what features and price point the average customer would consider purchasing. The resulting information was used to create an …

How Misinformation And Mistrust Compound The Threat Of Epidemics, William Boyd

Honors Theses

This thesis was conducted to study the effects of misinformation and medical mistrust on the public health field. I use the events of the Chapare Virus outbreak in Bolivia in the summer of 2019 and the public dialogue during that time period to discuss these themes. I used data from market survey's in La Paz, newspaper articles from Página Siete, and Tweets from the time period of the outbreak. My findings suggest that misinformation and medical mistrust affected public health measures, which has major implications for the way the public health field should address future public health events.

The Four Color Problem: The Journey To A Proof And The Results Of The Study, Rebecca M. Rogers

Honors Theses

The four color problem was one of the most difficult to prove problems for 150 years. It took several failed proofs and advancement in technology and techniques for the final proof to become possible. Some notable men include De Morgan first writing about the problem, Kempe giving the first proof, Heawood showing the flaws in Kempe’s work as well as making advancements of his own. The first actual proof of the problem is then discussed, as well as it’s shortcomings and the work done by other mathematicians to show improvements on them. The total of this work has lead to …

A Heartbreaking Loss: An Analysis Of The Long-Term Negative Cardiometabolic Effects Of Unhealthy Bulking Practices In American Football Players, Brianna Mcmanus

Honors Theses

National Football League records have shown a marked increase in the average weight of American Football Players over the course of the past half century. The emphasis placed on the ideology that “bigger is better” may enable these athletes to perform at higher levels of competition; there is now however an increased concern for the cardiometabolic health of these athletes due to the accumulation of fat mass rather than muscle mass. Numerous studies have proven a correlation between a high quantity of fat mass and the onset of cardiometabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and coronary artery …

Improving Safety Regulations To Decrease Respiratory Health Issues In Construction Workers, Kendall Stiens

Honors Theses

Among the construction industry are many harmful substances that affect the health of workers exposed to harmful agents. A systematic review was constructed from several case studies that examined and evaluated the respiratory health of construction workers, as well as the factors that affect the respiratory health of workers. It was concluded that construction workers presented with symptoms such as, productive cough, asthma, and lung infections that had worsened within 3 years of being in the construction industry. Additionally, construction divisions that were exposed to harmful substances or safety hazards had a higher percentage of cigarette smokers; concluding that the …

Analysis Of The Inhibitory Potency, Oxime-Mediated Reactivation Profile, And Binding Characteristics Of Metabolites Of Phorate, Luke Acuff

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Novel Automated Drill Apparatus For Accessing Equine Hoof Wall, Wellesley Dittmar

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Romance, War, And Narrative Ethics In Graham Greene's The End Of The Affair And Ian Mcewan's Atonement, Avery Ferguson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

21st Century Technological Innovations And Its Impact On Greatly Reducing The Existential Quality Of Territoriality Of The Modern Nation-State While Maintaining Nation State Empirical Strength, Olivia Fahrmann

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Genetic Analysis Of The Invasive Green Iguana (Iguana Iguana) In The Cayman Islands, Blaklie Mitchell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Colorblind Racism In White Women's Education Activision In The South, Emily Tingle

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Orff Schulwerk And Autism: Unlocking The Gifts Of Students With Autism In The Music Classroom Through Orff Schulwerk, Mckenzie E. Garrett

Honors Theses

The concept of teaching for each student’s needs is called differentiated instruction. For students with autism in the general music classroom, differentiated instruction has received limited attention from researchers and practitioners. Although teacher education programs do include a review of special education resources and needs, music teacher education programs do not always include intensive study of accommodation for students with special needs that specifically apply to the music classroom. One strategy music teachers can use for differentiating education for their learners with disabilities is the process of Orff Schulwerk instruction. Orff Schulwerk is an approach, originally and commonly used in …

A Novel Analysis Of Angles-Only Initial Orbit Determination Conundrum, Ryan Cobb

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Plant Gene Families Using Machine Learning Of Sequence Similarity, Motif Conservation And Evolutionary Distances, James Stevens

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Sexual Health Assessments In Nursing Practice: Quantitative Analysis Of Nurses’ Behaviors And Perceptions, Allison Culp

Honors Theses

Sexual health is an important yet often neglected component of patient care. Most research on sexual health assessment and its place in nursing occurred from the 1970s to the early 2000s, leaving a gap in understanding nurses’ current attitudes and beliefs toward assessing patients’ sexual health. Frequencies by which sexual health assessments (SHA) are performed by nurses today is also unknown. The objective of this study was to provide an updated understanding of attitudes, beliefs, and practices of nurses regarding SHA. An online-based Likert-scale survey was administered via social media platforms for professional nurses to complete. Results indicate that nurses …

Hplc Detection Of Organic Gunshot Residues With Silicone Wristbands, Yelyzaveta Zuy

Honors Theses

The analysis of gunshot residue (GSR) is frequently used to aid in investigating firearm-related crimes. Typically, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is applied for inorganic analysis of elements such as lead, barium, and antimony to study GSR. However, heavy metal-free ammunition creates the need for a different type of approach. This research focuses on studying the potential of detecting organic gunshot residue (OGSR) collected with silicone wristbands through passive sampling. This study has been directed towards the development of an optimal High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) procedure for the detection and separation of five selected compounds typically found in OGSR. The …

Mindful Yoga As A Means Of Reducing College Student Stress, Jaylee K. Oliver

Honors Theses

Thousands of years ago, yoga was intended to refocus and prepare an individual for self-exploration. Today, the “colloquial yoga” has manifested as an exercise fad. The aim of this study was to further investigate yoga as a stress reducing technique among a sample of college students. This study examined yoga as a distinct discipline by comparing 3 separate conditions (yoga, active-control, and neutral-control). This research aimed to demonstrate an overall decrease in perceived stress, increase in self-esteem, and increase in ability to psychologically detach from stressors after engaging in a yoga practice, as compared to the two control conditions. Overall, …

George Berkeley's Idealism: An Examination Of The Idealist Metaphysics And Its Connection To Philosophy Of Mind, Joshua L. Powell

Honors Theses

The prominent 18th century empirical philosopher George Berkeley espoused a philosophy known as “idealism.” This thesis aims to show that George Berkeley’s idealism is a formidable player in philosophy of mind. The present research unfolds his arguments for idealism as they appear in A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, turning at several points to The Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous for clarification. This research further explores the fundamentals of idealism in light of philosophy of mind, highlighting idealism’s intrinsic connection to this discipline. While this work is far from exhaustive, it provides the reader with essential information …

A Contribution To The Macrofungi Of Cloudland Canyon State Park, Peyden Valentine

Honors Theses

I conducted a survey of the macroscopic fungi within Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA that consisted of twenty-three forays from May through December of 2019, and one foray in March 2020. The results of my survey add baseline data to our knowledge of the mushrooms present within the park, allow for the future construction of an All Taxa Biodiversity Index, and allow comparisons to other surveys of fungal diversity in similar areas of the Cumberland Plateau: the Tennessee River Gorge Trust (Starrett 2005), and the Lula Lake Land Trust (De Guzman 2000). My survey resulted in an overall …

Melamine-Derived Graphene Foam As A Thermal Additive For Water Harvesting Applications, Emily Chase

Honors Theses

This project proposes the use of a novel melamine-derived graphene foam formed by high temperature pyrolysis under inert conditions for use as a thermal additive to absorbent crystals. The high thermal conductivity of graphene foam makes it an ideal candidate for use as a cheap, flexible, and light-weight alternative to previously used copper foam and metal organic frameworks. Following surface functionalization, graphene foam may be saturated with hydrophilic absorbent crystals. The primary objectives of this research are to optimize the synthesis process of such a graphene foam to obtain the highest purity product while maintaining foam flexibility and to study …

Synthesizing And Modeling The Optical Properties Of Silica Aerogel, Hannah Margavio

Honors Theses

Silica aerogel has attracted the attention of researchers for decades for its applications in insulation materials, storage, and solar-thermal devices. The appeal surrounding silica aerogel is attributed to its unique combination of physical and chemical properties. Silica aerogel is a highly porous, optically transparent nano-polymer with a low thermal conductivity. Additionally, the material boasts a super-low density, high specific surface area, and low dielectric constant. The following report proposes a viable method of synthesizing polyvinylpolymethylsilane (PVPMS) aerogel as well as a model for determining the optical performance of TMOS aerogel by determining its radiative properties. First, the report will explore …

Overcoming Barriers To The Implementation Of Early Warning Systems To Reduce The Maternal Mortality Rate In The United States Of America, Emily Hopkins

Honors Theses

The United States has the highest Maternal Mortality Rate in the developed world, and it has been increasing since 1987. To combat this problem, researchers have developed Early Warning Systems (EWS) to identify when a woman is developing signs of a life-threatening problem during the maternal period. The goal of this research is to identify if these early warning systems are being used in U.S. hospitals, and, if not, what the best way is to implement them. Several interviews were performed with hospitals across the U.S. and the transcripts were run through the analyzing software NVivo. Each transcript will be …

Byron And Don Juan: A Case Study And Queer Reading Of The Closeted Libertine, Caitlin Stanfield

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the major theme of homosexuality throughout the poetry of Lord George Gordon Byron, ultimately focusing on his 1819 iteration of Don Juan. It presents historically relevant information regarding the sodomy laws, religious sermons, anti-sodomite publications, and other obstacles that, I argue, prevented Byron from expressing his sexuality openly. The queer Byron, of course, exists elsewhere. Through close readings of Byron’s correspondence and of his verse, my thesis argues that we can read Byron’s highly coded, homoerotic jargon for what it is, shedding new light on the active but concealed homosexual community of nineteenth-century England.